● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
JioHotstar Expands to MENA Region Through Partnership with Starzplay
Key points
- JioHotstar partners with Starzplay for MENA expansion.
- Offers Indian content in multiple languages.
- Targets South Asian diaspora in the region.
- Sports content not included, but bundled with Starzplay's sports.
- JioHotstar was formed from a Reliance and Disney joint venture.
JioHotstar Enters MENA Market
JioHotstar, the streaming platform backed by Reliance Industries, has announced its expansion into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This move follows its previous launches in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore. The platform will operate in MENA through a partnership with Starzplay, one of the region's largest streaming services.
Partnership Model for Regional Expansion
Unlike its standalone launches in other international markets, JioHotstar will have a dedicated section within Starzplay's app and website in MENA. This section will feature Indian films, TV shows, originals, and reality franchises available in multiple languages. The strategy aims to leverage Starzplay's existing subscriber base and infrastructure in the region.
Targeting the South Asian Diaspora
The expansion is part of Reliance's broader strategy to establish JioHotstar as a global streaming platform. The MENA region was chosen due to its significant South Asian diaspora, providing a substantial potential audience for JioHotstar's Indian content. New JioHotstar originals will premiere simultaneously in MENA and India, with audio options in up to 10 languages, including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Bangla.
Content and Pricing Details
JioHotstar's own sports offerings from India will not be available in MENA. However, a bundled plan combining JioHotstar with Starzplay's sports content, including cricket, is priced at AED 49.99 (approximately $13.60) per month. JioHotstar is also accessible through Starzplay’s Plus monthly plan for AED 34.99 (around $9.50). The service will emphasize Malayalam programming due to the large Malayali population in the region.
Background and Previous Presence
JioHotstar was formed in 2024 through an $8.5 billion joint venture between Reliance and Disney, merging JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar in India. Prior to JioHotstar's launch, Hotstar had a presence in MENA through a distribution deal with evision, a major shareholder in Starzplay. Starzplay currently has over 2.3 million subscribers.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
JioHotstar, an Indian streaming platform, is expanding its service into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by partnering with Starzplay, a regional streaming service. This expansion targets the large South Asian diaspora in MENA, offering Indian films, TV shows, and original programming.